Mars, shown in this image taken by NASA's Hubble Space Telescope, is making its closest approach to Earth in six years.(Photo: NASA, J. Bell (Cornell University) and M. Wolff (Space Science Institute))

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Tonight a lunar eclipse happens and Mars also makes a close approach to the Earth.

A total lunar eclipse will darken the sky around midnight. At the same time, Mars is expected to appear bigger and brighter than usual as the planet makes its closest approach to Earth in six years.

Weather permitting, you should have a good view of the Red Planet as it orbits 57 million miles from Earth. The reddish-orange dot can be seen with the naked eye, visible in the east-southeast after sunset. The total lunar eclipse will last 78 minutes, but the brilliance of Mars will be visible much longer.

"As long as the skies remain clear ... it will be a nice show for many weeks," said Arizona State University professor Jim Bell, a planetary scientist and Mars researcher at the School of Earth & Space Exploration.

Mars comes close enough for remarkable viewing only once or twice every 15 or so years, according to NASA. The distance from Earth isn't the same each time because of the planets' orbits. In 2003, the planet made its closest approach to Earth in 60,000 years — a mere 34 million miles away. That won't happen again until year 2287.

Scientists predict the lunar eclipse will create a copper-color moon — called a "blood moon" — and a darker sky, making Mars even more visible than usual.

Dark, rural areas are the best places for viewing. You don't need to drive a couple of hours away from city lights. In the Valley, Bell said, areas such as Anthem, Apache Junction and west of Buckeye should be far enough away for better viewing.

If you can't leave the city, you still should be able to see the lunar eclipse and Mars.

"It's not something you need special equipment to see," said Kevin Schindler, communications manager for Lowell Observatory in Flagstaff.

Amateur astronomers have been focusing on Mars for several days. The planet is more challenging to view through a telescope than larger planets, such as Jupiter and Saturn, said Adam Block, who manages the University of Arizona's Mount Lemmon SkyCenter. Many of the planet's details are smaller. He recommends using at least an 8-inch telescope. Wait until the planet is high in the sky, 10 p.m. or later, for optimal viewing.

Or, if you have a computer and the Internet, you don't even need to leave the house. The Slooh Space Camera, a network of telescopes around the world, will show a live Web stream of Mars and the lunar eclipse. The broadcast begins at 7 p.m. Arizona time and can be watched for free at Slooh.com or on iPad by downloading the Slooh app.

Slooh astronomer Bob Berman will report live from Prescott Observatory in Arizona during the live stream. Viewers can ask questions on Twitter during the broadcast using the hashtag #Slooh.

The lunar eclipse starts shortly before 11 p.m. Arizona time on Monday. The total eclipse happens at 12:07 a.m. and ends at 1:25 a.m.

This illustration shows where Mars is in relation to the moon, the bright star Spica and the constellations Virgo, Ursa Major and Leo.(Photo: NASA)